Refractometer

erptacmt · 11/03/2011, 10:37 PM

What brand of refractometer is everybody using? Are they all the same? Calibration dial? Built in light? I've never used one but I think will be a great purchase for my new tank

VoiceInTheDeser · 11/03/2011, 10:58 PM

I haven't used any but my own, but I love it.

http://www.jbjlighting.com/prod-c-scope.html

It requires an external light source, but that's pretty trivial. Works great and easy to calibrate with the little screwdriver that's included.

nlgill13 · 11/03/2011, 11:25 PM

I found a pretty good one for a decent price on bulk reef supplies....It is well made but has no light attached....but like anybody into aquariums you will have light available to look at.

p.s.- i am not a representative of bulk reef and have no affiliation with them

schoi · 11/04/2011, 12:42 AM

I got the BRS one and it is easy to use and easy to see if you just hold it up to any light.

PRDubois · 11/04/2011, 12:42 AM

marine depot sells a good cheep one

Blayz77 · 11/04/2011, 12:51 AM

i have a jbj one i got from a lfs a long time ago, works great.

x947 · 11/04/2011, 05:13 AM

cheapo from fleabay . . .

works great

KhanhQ83 · 11/04/2011, 06:13 AM

I bought off ebay for 23 bucks shipping included. Works great

Sent from my HTC Glacier using Tapatalk

jordancemery65 · 11/04/2011, 06:18 AM

just be careful... i bought one off the internet very cheap! And that is exactly what it was very cheap... Make sure they have temperature compensation or something like that... Because different temperature water would change the reading...

KhanhQ83 · 11/04/2011, 07:31 AM

+1 with the Automatic Tempurature Compensation (ATC). definite get one with this feature.

Dustin1300 · 11/04/2011, 07:36 AM

I've used the Sybon one for a couple years and really been happy with the accuracy and easy visibility when reading the SG. A $50 investment well worth it!

http://premiumaquatics.com/store/mer...Category_Code=

OhYeah · 11/04/2011, 07:48 AM

I use a milwaukee brand. Great quality. I think the main difference on the cheaper ones are the quality of the materiel on how it is made.

aandfsoccr04 · 11/04/2011, 07:56 AM

Milwaukee brand.

jason2459 · 11/04/2011, 08:13 AM

Which ever one you end up getting make sure to calibrate with a 53ms or 35ppt calibration solution. Do NOT use ro/di or distilled water no mater what the directions say.

I've used and have a lot of different refractometers now and favorite so far for accuracy and easy of use/reading is the vitalsign you can get from fosters and smith which is the same thing as a veegee you can get from the filter guys. Plus, they are a true seawater refractometer and not a salt water/brackish water refractometer which everything else that has been listed are. The material quality like the casing and the lens is also far superior. Sybon is supposed to have some of the worse quality optics.

IslandCrow · 11/04/2011, 08:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PRDubois

marine depot sells a good cheep one

That's the one I bought probably 5 years ago. Not to say there aren't better ones out there, but I've only had to recalibrate it twice in that time, with only about a 1 ppt adjustment each time.

emooring37 · 11/04/2011, 09:18 AM

Just got the BRS model--comes with the 35 ppt calib liquid. Very solid feel and heavy duty. Holds calibr better than my previous one.

jbonez · 11/04/2011, 09:23 AM

premium aquatics i like it it works well it even came with the sybon 35ppt solution

kriv4o · 11/04/2011, 06:43 PM

I went with the Sybon from Premium Aquatics. No issues so far. Plan on using Pinpoint salinity calibration liquid.

11/03/2011, 10:37 PM	#1
erptacmt Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Posts: 33	Refractometer What brand of refractometer is everybody using? Are they all the same? Calibration dial? Built in light? I've never used one but I think will be a great purchase for my new tank

11/04/2011, 12:42 AM	#4
schoi Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Austin Posts: 76	I got the BRS one and it is easy to use and easy to see if you just hold it up to any light. __________________ 75G DT, 20GL Sump, RO 160XS Skimmer, Mag 9.5 Return, (1) Vortech MP 40, (2) Tunze, Tunze Osmolator, 700GPH Gl******* Overflow, AI SOL SB Blacks

11/04/2011, 12:42 AM	#5
PRDubois Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Chester, VA Posts: 3,626	marine depot sells a good cheep one __________________ http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2534403 Current Tank Info: 225 gal Reef, 60 gal reef & 40b frag tank

11/04/2011, 06:13 AM	#8
KhanhQ83 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Boston Posts: 90	I bought off ebay for 23 bucks shipping included. Works great Sent from my HTC Glacier using Tapatalk __________________ - Khanh

11/04/2011, 06:18 AM	#9
jordancemery65 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Mechanic Falls, ME Posts: 239	just be careful... i bought one off the internet very cheap! And that is exactly what it was very cheap... Make sure they have temperature compensation or something like that... Because different temperature water would change the reading... __________________ Jordan Emery. 72 Gallon Bowfront - Mixed Reef 120 lbs liverock, 4-5" Deep Sand Bed, 1 - Vortech MP40W, 2 AI Sol Blues, all controlled with Neptune Apex Aquacontroller.

11/03/2011, 10:58 PM	#2
VoiceInTheDeser Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Mesa, AZ Posts: 286	I haven't used any but my own, but I love it. http://www.jbjlighting.com/prod-c-scope.html It requires an external light source, but that's pretty trivial. Works great and easy to calibrate with the little screwdriver that's included.

11/03/2011, 11:25 PM	#3
nlgill13 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Boulder,CO Posts: 1,291	I found a pretty good one for a decent price on bulk reef supplies....It is well made but has no light attached....but like anybody into aquariums you will have light available to look at. p.s.- i am not a representative of bulk reef and have no affiliation with them

11/04/2011, 12:51 AM	#6
Blayz77 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: ca Posts: 436	i have a jbj one i got from a lfs a long time ago, works great.

11/04/2011, 05:13 AM	#7
x947 Registered Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: florida Posts: 166	cheapo from fleabay . . . works great

11/04/2011, 07:31 AM	#10
KhanhQ83 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Boston Posts: 90	+1 with the Automatic Tempurature Compensation (ATC). definite get one with this feature. __________________ - Khanh

11/04/2011, 07:36 AM	#11
Dustin1300 Reefaholic Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Carmel, IN Posts: 5,135	I've used the Sybon one for a couple years and really been happy with the accuracy and easy visibility when reading the SG. A $50 investment well worth it! http://premiumaquatics.com/store/mer...Category_Code= __________________ INDMAS President Check out my tank in the Large Tank Forums, "A Reefaholic's 1000+ Gallon Mixed Reef System Build"! Current Tank Info: 600 Gallon DT, 140 Gallon Grow Out Tank, 125 Gallon Sump, 90 Gallon Fuge, 200 Gallon Fish QT, 15 Gallon Frag QT

11/04/2011, 07:48 AM	#12
OhYeah Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Florida Posts: 74	I use a milwaukee brand. Great quality. I think the main difference on the cheaper ones are the quality of the materiel on how it is made.

11/04/2011, 07:56 AM	#13
aandfsoccr04 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Virginia Beach, VA Posts: 3,561	Milwaukee brand. __________________ 120 gallon mixed reef

11/04/2011, 08:13 AM	#14
jason2459 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Iowa Posts: 9,671	Which ever one you end up getting make sure to calibrate with a 53ms or 35ppt calibration solution. Do NOT use ro/di or distilled water no mater what the directions say. I've used and have a lot of different refractometers now and favorite so far for accuracy and easy of use/reading is the vitalsign you can get from fosters and smith which is the same thing as a veegee you can get from the filter guys. Plus, they are a true seawater refractometer and not a salt water/brackish water refractometer which everything else that has been listed are. The material quality like the casing and the lens is also far superior. Sybon is supposed to have some of the worse quality optics. __________________ rebuild and recovery log: No more red house, you'll have to click on my name and visit my homepage! You can check out my parameters at reeftronics dot net website and look for my username. Current Tank Info: 180g mixed reef w/ a beananimal overflow to a dolomite RRUGF. \| 20g long G. Smithii Mantis Tank

11/04/2011, 09:18 AM	#16
emooring37 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 58	Just got the BRS model--comes with the 35 ppt calib liquid. Very solid feel and heavy duty. Holds calibr better than my previous one.

11/04/2011, 09:23 AM	#17
jbonez SALT LIFE Join Date: May 2008 Location: alabama Posts: 1,188	premium aquatics i like it it works well it even came with the sybon 35ppt solution __________________ IT IS WHAT IT IS! Current Tank Info: 75GL MIXED REEF\|40B FRAG LIGHTING -4ft DIY 120 3W CREE LEDS ROYAL BLUES & COOL WHITES\| FLOW-vortech mp40 \| BRS HC GFO TLF REACTOR W/COBOLT MJ600\| REEF OCTOPUS BH90 SKIMMER\| TUNZE OSMOLATOR 3155 ATO W/MAGNETS\|REEF KEEPER ELITE.

11/04/2011, 06:43 PM	#18
kriv4o Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Ocean Pines, MD Posts: 509	I went with the Sybon from Premium Aquatics. No issues so far. Plan on using Pinpoint salinity calibration liquid.

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